Kate Middleton is descended from Brian Boru

A member of the British Royal family can trace her family tree all the way back to Irish King Brian Boru, according to research by Tourism Ireland.

Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton – wife of Prince William, England’s future king – has connections to Boru via the Lupton family of Yorkshire and the Fitzmaurices of Co Kerry.

The Fitzmaurices were a noble family who had links back to Boru.

It means that when her son Prince George is older and takes the throne, the King of England will be a descendent of the last High King of Ireland.

Tourism Ireland announced the discovery in 2016 at an event at the British House of Commons in London which was attended by then Irish Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and then British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Check out this document which shows the Duchess of Cambridge’s family tree stretch back to William Lupton.

The announcement was made as part of Tourism Ireland’s ‘Family History Year’ in 2013. Several influential people in the British House of Commons and House of Lords were invited to trace their Irish heritage.

CEO of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, said that the history, culture and family links between Ireland and Great Britain stretch back for centuries.

Brian Boru lived in the 10th and 11th centuries and is credited with being the first and last true High King of Ireland.

He started out as ruler of the small kingdom of Dál gCais, near modern day Limerick, before expanding and eventually ruling the entire country.

He made a number of enemies along the way, both Irish kings and Viking leaders who were prominent in Ireland at the time.

However, he lived to be an old man and died in the famous Battle of Clontarf, which saw the native Irish finally overcome the Viking invaders – Brian’s last great victory.

Find out more about Brian Boru.

Future Queen of England is descended from Irish High King

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